So, what’s the deal with blogging?
Seinfeld style reflections about nothing…
I just have to ask myself that sometimes…what’s the deal with blogging? Does anyone really care what I think or say? Does it even matter?
I don’t think it does.
I ran into a fellow blogger, a very intelligent woman, a home-schooler, not at all weird, her husband is a professional, and she is obviously well educated, sane, balanced, social, all that stuff to qualify as an exceptional human being, and she told me she gave up checking her comments for Lent. And it was a real sacrifice. (On Sundays in Lent she gives in.)
Is it internet addiction? Blogging addiction? Or is it just ego? What is the draw here?
I check my comments frequently…and I check other people’s blogs frequently. I check the Catholic Blogging Network for what people are currently posting. Do you realize most of us post the same stuff - the same newsworthy items or controversies? It’s kinda boring. Some people seem to like another’s format or concept and go with it on their own blog - that’s not very original. (We called them copy-cats in school.)
Granted, established blogs, famous for insider news, have great - I should say - interesting posts. (Although maybe I’m getting sick of cafeteria fare, or reading the same book, and maybe I don’t care what the prayer really says.) Other blogs link to these same blogs - I’ve done it as well - and if we are lucky, they write their own slant on the same old, same old. Other blogs write about a group - no one else knows who these people are - in their local area getting together to do something, anything - who cares? Does the world really care?
Back on topic: Why do we read other blogs? Because we like the person, or the content, or both? Or is it because someone is original, witty - funny even - informative, insightful, spiritual, intelligent - whatever - but there is some substance there to captivate our attention. There is a personality there - a light shining in the darkness as it were. It’s a challenge to accomplish that - and more often, it is just grace.
Some blogs are very personal, and because of that, they are incredibly interesting, they allow us to know a soul more deeply, and we discover something about ourselves in relationship to the person communicating with us. We rarely experience such intimacy in our face to face experience with others in daily life, it seems to be a phenomenon unique to the weblog.
But why do we write? Because we have something to say? Because we think we have something to contribute? Because we like to write? Why? Because people we don’t know respond sometimes and we think, ‘wow, that guy heard me and liked me’? Then again, maybe we are narcissists at heart and want people to notice us?
Maybe we just want to be known?
Perhaps we just have a need to be acknowledged, maybe we need our experience to be validated on some level? Maybe in our shallow, superficial and impersonal culture, we just need to express ourselves as human beings and need others to affirm that?
The blogs I read are by people who have something to say, those who educate and enlighten, or just entertain, but I connect to them somehow - and these get my comments. Others not so much. On some of the more ‘out front’ blogs, I grow weary of their content and tendency towards commercialism. A few may even have slipped from their original ‘blog award’ standards…somehow forgetting the reason they got the awards in the first place.
Yet the question persists, what’s the deal with blogging? Why do we write? And why does it seem everyone and their mother is blogging? Are there too many blogs? I’m not kidding, my MPD post was inspired by a blog I came across by people with Multiple Personality Disorder. Okay - so I’m not original - they were- although I don’t think they were pretending like I was in the post - and only one of their personalities were doing the writing.
Obviously, there is a blog for everybody. I worked with someone who was this raging Trad and now she’s become a raging Wiccan - well, not as bad as when she was Trad - that rhymes! Before she got to Wicca, she was a raging Vegan. All along she basically just raged on. Who wants to read stuff like that? For her, the blog has become one big soap box to rant from - about whatever happens to be her current obsession. (Not that there is anything wrong with that.)
Thus I have to wonder, what if blogging is just an outlet for the insane? What if we are all nuts? (Although Chesterton would probably dismiss it all as a fad.)
Methinks I post too much!
March 28th, 2007 at 2:06 am
No, you don’t post too much.
March 28th, 2007 at 6:43 am
Terry:
You have told me before to write my opinion on things - it is so funny, because I think I’m the opposite of you (in that way)…
You have stated that you are reserved & rarely state your opinion to someone you’re actually talking to, yet have no problem putting your thoughts on your blog (for the most part)… I’m more ‘talkative’ in my emails, but not my blog.
That said, in some ways I am a lot like you, only with my writing style (or lack thereof) you’d never know it!
March 28th, 2007 at 8:07 am
Terry. You remind me of my brother Pat. Brilliant and insane. Really, this is a great article about the blogging phenomena. I resisted blogging for a long time but finally succumbed to pressure from my husband and friends. I see that now that they were right. If someone is a published author, it is really vital to have a blog to connect with your readers. My blog has opened up dialog with my readers that I never thought possible. Also it allows me to give historical background about my novels, filling in the gaps.
I think that blogs can be invaluable apostolic works, as well as educational. They can be a way of spreading news and discussing current issues with like-minded people. They can be a support system for people to share their faith. I am very impressed by the homeschooling blogs and how those mothers support each other and exchange ideas.
There is not enough time to comment on all the blogs I like or enough space to link to every single one either. But since I have many non-Catholics visiting my site for research purposes, I am careful about what their exposure to the Catholic faith will be when they visit my blog.I was trying to avoid controversy but I guess that is impossible if you have a conscience.
March 28th, 2007 at 8:08 am
But Rhaps - you are a light shinning in the darkness. Actually I was up until midnight last night looking at my painting, so I was blogging tired and smoking like edward R. Murrow!
March 28th, 2007 at 8:57 am
I blogged because people pestered me. See how weak I really am?
Among the numerous reasons why I enjoy your blog is that you come off as a complete misanthrope at times (how’s that for honesty!). I get tired of people (and sometimes I hate them in general) too. Plus, you know I always enjoy your fashion industry posts.
Personally, I’m so sick of reading about when the motu proprio may come out that when I see any post with that term these days, I turn away. Let’s speculate about something really fun and daring like who our new coadjutor could be?!
March 28th, 2007 at 10:29 am
Thanks Cathy and Elena - I love all the blogs that have commented so far, as well as those in my blogroll, and some others.
Cathy, I forgot what misanthrope meant - I use the word so often. (That’s why you were nominated as smartest blog.)
Elens, I definitely agree that a published writer has a wonderful connection with readers through the weblog.
I have learned so very much through the blog - so it’s a good thing.
After easter, I’ll post on some fashion items again. For now - I’m kind of on retreat - I wonder if I should post that message on my phone for the people who keep calling?
Phones? What’s that all about? Why do we need them? (I think that is another post!)
March 28th, 2007 at 11:08 am
Terry, you ARE just like my brother. Chain-smoking and looking at great art at 2am– that is just the kind of thing that he does.
March 28th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
I think my readers had me confused with smart—-ed blog as opposed to smartest.
Reading a long Scripture passage on your phone message can help cut down on phone calls-try it!
March 28th, 2007 at 6:18 pm
Ooh. Something from Numbers or Deuteronomy. Or, you could read God’s description of the temple and the ark from Exodus. There’s no way anyone would sit through that…
March 28th, 2007 at 6:18 pm
Sorry the tents, not temple.
March 30th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
Hmmm. I ask myself the same thing: “who do I think I am? Who cares what I think? I hardly care myself.”
I’ve only been blogging since the end of January really and I noticed the same thing…very cookie cutter, recycled,and…a consistent lack of citation to authority…now the latter is one thing that turns me right off. I can only assume a. it’s just too much trouble, or b. said bloggers are not quite as learned as they like to appear.
Another thing that bothers me is the number of posts…lots of short ones with snippy comments, easy work if you can get it.
There have been a number of stories, in March and Feb, which showed me the failure to source and cite is endemic. One particular egregious case that I remained *mostly* silent showed me in no uncertain terms that bloggers really don’t check their sources and thus help propogate misinformation. God help us if this is how people were taught throughout their time in school. Sourcing posts takes longer than writing them, which is why no one does it properly.
There also seems to be a willingness (just to return to my remark about recycling) to just thrown any old crap up in the expectation the punters won’t dare walk.
A great number of blogs have ZERO personality. Even when so-called wit is in evidence it tends toward the studied rather than developed or natural.
Anyway, my problem is long-windedness *cough*.
Carolina Cannonball sent me over here to read this; I am glad she did.